The albumin-bilirubin score stratifies the outcomes of Child-Pugh class A patients after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth most common tumour and the second cause of cancer-related death worldwide (1). Surgery is a potentially curative treatment for HCC patients, specifically in early stage and with well-preserved liver function (2). The majority of patients with HCC have associated chronic liver disease (3), ranging from few histological abnormalities to advanced cirrhosis (4-6), resulting in a higher risk of postoperative complications (7,8), particularly post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF), which is the main cause of death after liver resection (9)